Reviews of Picture Books, Easy Readers, Songs, and More!

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As much as I love books, I am aware that we are increasingly living in a technology-based world. You are now more likely to see kids playing iPads than flipping through a pile of books. Do I have a problem with this? Yes, but I also don’t want my kids to be complete Luddites, either. In my ideal world, children would be exposed to both text and multimedia, with top quality as the main goal for both. So, who better to help design apps, television shows and movies than the amazing authors and illustrators who have been creating such beautiful (and sometimes overlooked) picture books. Technology need not overshadow print; it can also support it. Here is a list of apps, television shows and movies that can supplement picture books and encourage young children to love reading.

Children never tire of Pigeon’s juvenile antics. Unable to drive a bus, deprived of a hot dog, chased by a mad cow, there is always something for Pigeon to freak out about. This app allows you to create your own Pigeon stories or draw Pigeon. If your child enjoys the Pigeon books, he or she will probably like playing the app. On the flip side, this app might also motivate reluctant readers to read more books about Pigeon. Either way, Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App is a winner.

Olivia is a born performer. In Olivia Saves the Circus, she single-handedly runs an entire circus… or so she tells her class. The show continues in OLIVIA the Great App, except this time she is a magician and it is your job to help her with her tricks.

The Magic School Bus – Oceans is technically an e-book, but it has so many added features that it is worth getting, even if you already own the book. This app allows children to view plankton under a microscope, create a wave with their finger and use x-ray vision to see inside a marine animal.

Picture books don’t always directly translate well to the screen. My kids and I have watched a number of not very interesting programs based on books that we adore. Other, better shows, such as Martha Speaks, Arthur and The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, are fun to watch, but don’t necessarily follow the original books closely. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories is a notable exception. This DVD brings to life four books by Eric Carle, complimenting his distinctive art style with well-chosen classical music. Our favorite is Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me; there is something hauntingly beautiful about this rendition that stays with you after you watch it.

This 26-minute television classic was released in 1966 and has since been re-digitized and re-released. I loved watching it as a child, and unlike the Jim Carrey movie, it follows the original book fairly closely. I don’t think my kids have seen it yet, but I plan on changing that this Christmas!

Kids love anatomy and what is more fun than imagining a school bus driving around your intestines? The DVD Magic School Bus: Human Body features three television shows that include all the great science information from The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body, but with added storylines.

Movies

The following movies have been widely reviewed by many esteemed people, so I am going to just list ones that I feel are entertaining for children and reflect the books on which they were based, at least in spirit, if not in all of the details.

Reviews of Apps, Television Shows and Movies Based on Picture Books

As much as I love books, I am aware that we are increasingly living in a technology-based world. You are now more likely to see kids playing iPads than flipping through a pile of books. Do I have a problem with this? Yes, but I also don't want my kids to be complete Luddites, either.

There are only so many ideas in circulation at one time, so sometimes we've got to work with recyclable materials. Luckily for children's television programming producers, there was a wealth of ideas available in the juvenile literary world.

highlights 2013 Guidelines on Medication Safety for Breastfeeding Mothers Worried about breastfeeding while on certain medications? Good news: the AAP has loosened some of the "rules" on medication safety for nursing mothers. See the AAP's relaxed new guidelines, as well as a list of drugs that still may be unsafe.

"Clueless," based on "Emma," by Jane Austen Suggest a work of classic literature to some teens and it's like inviting an eye roll. But casually mention that the 1995 teen flick extraordinaire was borne from Austen's "Emma," and you might get them to hit the library.

Kids are growing up reading on iPads today. In hopes that they'll still read classic books, we've made a list of ten iPad books apps based on classic children's books. This list is not comprehensive. Help us expand it by adding your favorite kids book apps in the comments. 1.

For Oceanhouse Media (OM), a publisher of apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, licensing relationships with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Hay House Publishers and Chronicle Books have helped it to become a player in the children's book space.